Riverside Bar Manager Credits Security Guards With Preventing Deadly Mass Shooting
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) -- The manager of a Riverside bar is crediting his security guards with preventing what could have been a big disaster.
The guards apparently stopped a man who tried to enter the bar with a small cache of weapons.
The guards were both injured but the bar manager says they are heroes.
The incident played out Friday evening at Duke's Bar and Grill on Iowa Avenue.
CBS2's Greg Mills spoke to the bar manager, Eddie Daffron.
"He was looking to hurt somebody," Daffron says.
Cellphone video shows the moment the guards took Hugo Garciao down.
At that point, they frisked him and discovered the weapons that could have hurt a lot of people.
The cache was scary.
"One knife about four inches long," Daffron said, " I believe two Glock-23's subcompact pistols."
Were the guns loaded? Mills asked.
"Loaded," Daffron says.
There were about 200 people inside the bar around midnight when Garciao tried to enter.
"My security saved lives last night, preventing a mass shooting," Daffron said.
The security detail reportedly first noticed Garciao peeking over a wall into the patio area. That area serves as a dance floor on weekends. Minutes later, Garciao entered through the front door.
"I was inside. I heard some commotion and a couple gunshots," said witness David Hawk.
He described a scene of panic.
"Pandemonium. They cleared out pretty quick," Hawk added.
By now, Daffron and the guards took Garciao down just outside.
"They're trying to subdue him," says a male voice on the cellphone video, "and trying to take him down peacefully but he is still swinging (his knife) stabbing motions."
One security guard was stabbed in the stomach. The other slashed in the neck. There was a gunshot wound, too. Daffron was able to grab one gun and then saw Garcioa had another weapon in his hand.
No customers were hurt.
A few told Mills the bar is a nice, family place that has been in business for years.
Today, after a wild night -- it's business as usual.
Police told Mills Garciao has a :lengthy" criminal record. Two additional charges of attempted murder will be added to it as well as new weapons and drug charges, as well.
